Khasi Hills

The Meghalaya government has released Rs 79.5 crore to clear a 12-month salary backlog for employees of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced on Tuesday. The funds have been deposited into an escrow account to ensure that payments reach the affected workers promptly. Of the total allocation, Rs 11 crore represents outstanding dues owed directly to GHADC employees, while the remaining Rs 68.5 crore has been provided as an advance against future royalty payments, ensuring continued financial stability for the council’s staff. The move comes after prolonged delays that had left employees awaiting their full salaries for an entire year. In addition to addressing the salary backlog, the state cabinet approved the Meghalaya State Educati...

The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Sunday said it is ready to review its policy on toll and check gates. KHADC Executive Member in-charge of Trade, Winston Tony Lyngdoh said the council will follow any directive of the District Council Affairs (DCA) department on the setting up of toll and check gates. However, he added that the council’s Executive Committee (EC) will have to find out if there is any such directive in this regard. “We are not aware but we will definitely examine if there is such a directive,” Lyngdoh said. The DCA department had previously written to the secretary of the EC of KHADC regarding the re-opening of check gates within the council’s territory. The department had reiterated that a no-objection certificate (NOC) must be obtained from the des...

Even as pressure groups in Meghalaya continue to oppose any railway projects in the Khasi Hills, the Ministry of Railways has made it clear that it remains committed to connecting the region including Shillong through railway infrastructure. Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, speaking informally with journalists during the Waves Summit in Mumbai, asserted that the Ministry will not give up on its efforts to provide the people of Meghalaya with an affordable and efficient mode of transportation. “We will never stop pursuing this, and we are actively engaging with the concerned authorities,” the Union Minister said. Vaishnaw acknowledged the persistent opposition to railway projects in the state but emphasized that the Ministry remains focused on long-term connectivity goals. Ra...

The East Khasi Hills police on Monday arrested NEHU Students’ Union (NEHUSU) president Sandy Sohtun in connection with the alleged assault of Dr. Alok Kumar Singh, an Assistant Professor in the university’s Hindi Department, on April 24. Sohtun was later produced before a local court and remanded in seven-day judicial custody. Leaders and members of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) accompanied Sohtun during his court appearance. Earlier, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem confirmed that Sohtun had been taken into custody following an FIR filed by Dr. Singh. Syiem further stated that the investigation is ongoing and that all individuals involved in the assault will be arrested. In his FIR filed at the Mawkynroh police outpost on April 25, Dr. Singh alleged that the ...

Bharat Youth Parliament Festival 2025 kick-started at NEHU here on Wednesday. The event organised by the university witnessed the enthusiastic participation of more than 140 registered students from the East Khasi Hills and Eastern West Khasi Hills districts. The two-day festival will allow participants to benefit from spirited debates, discussions, and thought-provoking presentations. The selected students will advance to the state-level competition, carrying forward the vision of a Viksit Bharat led by dynamic and visionary young leaders. Chief Guest Rudi V Warjri, IFS (Retd.) commended the initiative and remarked that today’s youth are fortunate to have such opportunities that nurture their leadership potential. Sharing his experiences in Parliament, he praised the debating skill...

East Khasi Hills Police have beefed up security across the city following two arson cases on Wednesday morning. East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Vivek Syiem said the law-and-order situation is fluid following the arson cases. Unidentified miscreants torched a government vehicle (ML05 AB 1290) which was parked along the roadside at Dongkadiang, Nongmensong. In the second case, the vehicle of the caretaker of the NFR Officers’ Rest House at Laban was partially damaged in a petrol bomb attack. Police have registered cases in both the incidents. “We have alerted all our units. We are intensifying our patrolling and all measures are being taken to ensure a peaceful and secured environment for the public,” Syiem said. He pointed out that additional security measures have been pu...

KHADC Chief Executive Member (CEM), Shemborlang Rynjah is yet to finalise the portfolios of the seven Executive Members of the new Executive Committee (EC) in the council. Official sources on Sunday informed that the EC has only received the names of the new EMs. According to official sources, the council will have to finalise the list of portfolios allocated to the new EMs before the start of the budget session of the KHADC. Sources informed that the CEM was scheduled to meet VPP chief, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit to finalise the portfolios of the seven EMs. However, the same could not be confirmed from the CEM as his mobile phone was switched off.

The Voice of the People Party-led new Executive Committee (EC) in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has decided not to issue any fresh trading licences for trades which the local Khasis are capable of undertaking. "We want to ensure that the local youth, who are keen to set up their own businesses, do not lose hope since there are provisions in the Trading By Non-Tribal Regulation, 1954 to protect their interests," the council's newly-elected Chief Executive Member, Shemborlang Rynjah told reporters on Friday. He assured that the EC will try to implement the provisions in the regulation in true spirit. If required, an amendment will be made to improve it further, he added. Rynjah also stated that they will study if there are any defects or irregularities in the exi...

Around 72.45 per cent voter turnout was recorded in Friday’s elections in the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) while around 82.73 per cent of the electorate exercised their franchise in the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) polls which were by and large peaceful except for sporadic incidents of attacks on polling stations and damages to EVMs in two constituencies of JHADC. The polls will decide the fate of 272 candidates – 158, including 12, in the KHADC and 114, including 7, in the JHADC. Nongspung-Sohiong saw the highest turnout of 86.07 per cent while Jirang constituency saw the lowest turnout with a mere 51.46 per cent voters exercising their franchise for the KHDC polls. For the JHADC polls, Moodymmai-Nongkroh constituency in West Jaintia Hills re...

The fate of as many as 272 candidates will be decided on Friday as over 13 lakh voters started voting in the district council elections on Friday. The counting of votes will take place on February 24. A total number of 158 candidates, including 12 women, are contesting in the KHADC polls while 114 candidates including 12 women candidates will fight it out in the JHADC election. The urban areas in Khasi and Jaintia Hills saw low-key campaigning as compared to the rural pockets. There are 1,669 polling stations in the KHADC with around 110 being tagged as sensitive. Ninety-five of the 477 polling stations in the JHADC have been declared as sensitive. With 49,841 voters, Mawlai is the biggest constituency in the KHADC while Jaiaw with 17,148 voters is the smallest constituency. The total ...